British tabloid guns for Namibia

With bookies installing Namibia as the favoured destination for the royal honeymoon of Prince Harry and his bride, Hollywood actress Meghan Markle, one British tabloid has rubbished the Land of the Brave as “dangerous” based on a dated travel advisory. An online article published by the Daily Star said: “Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's reported chosen honeymoon destination is a violent country Brits are warned not to visit.” The article described Namibia as dangerous and warned British citizens not to visit the country. Speculation is rife that Namibia is the chosen honeymoon destination for the royal couple and that they will stay at a luxury lodge in north-western Namibia. The BBC yesterday reported that the couple, now known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were not expected to leave for their honeymoon immediately, choosing instead to remain in the UK before taking a break. While other destinations have been thrown in the mix for the newlyweds' honeymoon, Namibia remains a firm favourite. Namibia is also part of the Commonwealth, a potentially fitting choice as Prince Harry was recently bestowed the title of Youth Ambassador of the Commonwealth. In 2015 Prince Harry visited Namibia during a three-month conservation trip in Africa. He reportedly chose Namibia from hundreds of potential conservation projects after reading about the work being done by the Nature Conservancy that closely works with the Save the Rhino Trust. However, the Daily Star quoted a British foreign office travel advisory that warned British travellers that Namibia is ridden with street crime and not a place to be at night. It said the latest advice, updated in January and still current, reads: “Avoid driving outside towns at night as wildlife and stray livestock pose a serious hazard. “There is a growing level of violent street crime affecting foreign tourists, particularly in Windhoek.” The spokesperson for the tourism ministry, Romeo Muyunda, said the ministry had taken note of these concerns, but dismissed the claim that Namibia was a violent and dangerous country. “Namibia is a very safe country, one of the safest countries in Africa and of the most hospitable countries.” He said although there had been violent incidents involving tourists, they were isolated and did not warrant describing the country as violent. “There have been few cases where tourists have been attacked and crime towards tourists has also been addressed with stakeholders in the industry,” said Muyunda. He continued to say that several VIPs and public figures had been safely hosted in Namibia, including Prince Harry himself. “Their feedback has all been that the country and its people have respect for the privacy of public figures and that they can visit here without any disturbance.” “We invite those making these allegations to come to Namibia and experience the beauty of our country and the friendliness. We also urge Brits not to listen to these claims and encourage to them to experience Namibia for themself,” Muyunda said. He further said that Namibia would be honoured to host the newlyweds if they chose the country as their honeymoon destination. “Prince Harry is welcome here and it would be a great gesture for Namibia. He has done so much for our conservation and it will mean a lot in terms of tourism if Namibia is chosen.” Namibian Sun found that the foreign office's travel advisory added that most visits to Namibia were trouble free. It mainly warns visitors about muggings in Windhoek. “Attacks can take place even in busy city centre locations in broad daylight. Be alert to your surroundings if you are returning to your guesthouse or hotel, especially after dark,” it states. British tourists are also warned that gangs sometimes try to gain entry to vehicles at busy intersections in Windhoek, and that theft from vehicles, particularly at service stations, is common. The warning continues that Brits should not hail taxis in the street, particularly in Windhoek, as these have been involved in thefts from foreign tourists. While Namibia has always been regarded as a safe tourist destination, increasingly violent attacks on tourists last year threatened the country's image. There was a spate of muggings, car hijacking and robberies involving tourists, combined with several murders of elderly people in their homes, which rang alarm bells locally and internationally. The result was that many countries updated their travel advisories, listing Namibia as a high-risk country and warning their nationals against travelling to Namibia. Several measures have since been put in place to protect tourists, such as establishing dedicated tourism police units. The City of Windhoek introduced closed-circuit cameras in and around the city in a project that is continuing. Highway patrols were also increased. Furthermore, work is also being done to formalise a joint strategy to further improve tourist safety, involving a significant number of stakeholders. New initiatives under consideration include the improvement of security at airports; stricter measures concerning taxis and other forms of public transport; providing for a reward system for information about crime against tourists; creating a hotline for reporting incidents; improving signposting at tourist hotspots; and further expansion of patrolling and surveillance.ELLANIE SMIT

British tabloid guns for Namibia

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-12

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British tabloid guns for Namibia

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-12

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